Australia to preserve penalty spot that secured World Cup place

Australian players celebrate after defeating Uruguay in their World Cup qualifier on November 16. Australia has moved to permanently preserve the penalty spot from which the Socceroos earlier this month secured their first berth in the World Cup finals for 32 years.

Australia has moved to permanently preserve the penalty spot from which the Socceroos earlier this month secured their first berth in the World Cup finals for 32 years.

Officials from Sydney's Telstra Stadium on Tuesday dug up the patch of turf where Socceroo John Aloisi's spotkick sealed a dramatic 4-2 penalty shootout win over Uruguay after extra time on November 16.

They said the historic divot would be dry-frozen over a period of weeks to remove any moisture before being treated and encased in glass to go on display.

The victory over Uruguay to gain a spot at the tournament finals in Germany next year sent Australia into a football frenzy, sparking predictions the game could eventually topple rival sports such as cricket and rugby league as the nation's most popular game.